Beverage Tap Closure Member Streamlined Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Taps for dispensing carbonated beverages often cause excessive foaming, leading to either a glass full of undrinkable foam or a flat beverage, due to their inability to control the flow rate effectively, with some designs only being fully on or fully off.

Innovation Solution

A beverage tap with a streamlined closure member and externally adjustable passageway constrictor that reduces turbulent flow, featuring a smooth, fissure-free design and a polymer closure member with a biasing element for self-closing functionality, allowing for controlled flow rates and reduced foaming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional tap design is used, then the beverage can be dispensed, but excessive foaming occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage dispensingVSAvoidexcessive foaming

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The closure member head is designed with a streamlined, curved configuration that follows the contour of the seat, eliminating sharp edges and fissures. This curved geometry guides the beverage flow smoothly through the tap body, preventing turbulence that causes excessive foaming while maintaining effective sealing contact between the head and seat.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an externally adjustable passageway constrictor that modifies the flow rate parameter of the beverage. By adjusting the constrictor position, the flow rate can be optimized to prevent excessive foaming while ensuring complete dispensing, allowing users to control the balance between flow rate and foaming reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the tap is designed with simple on/off operation, then the device complexity is reduced, but flow rate control is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetap operationVSAvoidflow rate control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The passageway constrictor is designed as a movable component that can be adjusted to different positions along the beverage passageway. This dynamic element allows the tap to transition from a simple on/off design to a controllable flow system, where the constrictor position can be varied to optimize flow rate and minimize foaming based on dispensing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the closure member has complex geometry for sealing, then sealing engagement is improved, but turbulent flow increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing engagementVSAvoidturbulent flow

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The closure member head features a streamlined, curved surface that conforms to the contour of the seat, providing reliable sealing engagement through continuous surface contact. The curved geometry eliminates sharp edges and fissures that would create turbulence, allowing the head to maintain both effective sealing and smooth beverage flow through the tap body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11440788B2Beverage tap

Publication Date: 2022.09.13 KEGLAND HLDG

AI summary

A tap for dispensing a beverage. The tap includes: a tap body defining a beverage outlet and including a closure member seat; a closure member movably disposed within the tap body and including a head movable into sealing engagement with the closure member seat, wherein the head has a streamlined configuration and the closure member seat is intermediate the closure member and the beverage outlet; and an externally operable actuator operationally coupled to the closure member.